liTHE FREE PRESS I
VOL. I - No.5 1630 S. Hanover St., Baltimore 30, Md. March 6, 1956 St. Louis Ultimatum-Resign or Get Out A Parallel The St. Louis ultimatum, and such IS us as a people and upon the Synod as a The Bible Press, published by the First exactly what it is, for it tells men to do cer whole. After a very lengthy but orderly Bible Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, tain tinngs or else they will do. cer and God-pleasing discussion, the vote was tiin thing~, which means that the church is Mo., the Rev. Donald MacNair, pastor, called for. By this time there were 65 vot to be split, parallt>ls in striking fashion the reports the action o~ the congregation as ing-members still present (which is a large attitude .of the Presbyterian Church in th~ follows: voting percentage of our roll). The vot U.S.A. 22 years ago toward the Independ ing was 61 in favor, ·three against, and one ent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Mis "A motion was approved that the Ses cast a blank ballot. sions. sion ask ·the Congregation for authority to "The pastor would like to say that he withdraw from the Bible Presbyterian is very happy that the Lord . so evidently In 1933, the Independent BoarJ for Synod, provided that at the close of the led in the decision before us. If it had Presbyterian Foreign Missions was formed, 19th General Synod of the Bible Presbyte been a very close vote, there would have free from the direction, "review, and con rian Church, the present group now in con been evidence of problems that might arise trol" of the Presbyterian Church in the in the future because of the feeling ex trOl of the Independent Board for Presby U.S.A., and incorporated under the laws of pressed. However, the rather strong una the State of Pennsylvania. This Board wa~ terial1 Foreign 'Miss!ons, Shelton College, . nimity <.videnced the fact that our people called schismatic, un-Presbyterian, Congre and Faith Seminary does not relinquish con are together in this issue. gatiom.l, a spite board, and other things. trol of thes.e agencies and disband the Inde The General Assembly of the denomination pendent Board for Presbyterian Home Mis "These are difficult things to do and to adopted what became known as "the M~n write about. We must face the problems date," an ultimatum that the Board deSist, sionsJ or leave the Bible Presbyterian that are coming to a head at the Synod to dissolve, and its members lesign within 90 Church; and further, that, if the Session be held in April' in the Y.M.CA. here in found it necessary to act, they be empowered days or else stand trial, the trial which sus St. Louis. We feel that we have taken ac pended them from the ministry. Members to invite any other churches of like mind to tion that will be honoring to the Lord and join together with us. of the Independent Board for Presbyterian that will allow us to know where our people Fore;gn Missions declined ·0 resign and "This resolution was moved and sec stand. The members of Session, of course, appealed to the Scripture~ a~d the. consti.tu onded and had length), discussion. It was are the spiritual leadership and the respon tion of the Church for their lIberty In ChrISt. most definitely pointed out that the resolu sible agents of the Congregation. However, The resulting trials led in the break which tion does not put us out of the Bible Presby they do not have authority to act for the came in the Presbyterian C~urch in the terian Church at this time. It was also pc:ople in actions of this nature other th~n U.S.A., and which is a part of the founda pointed out that the intent of the resolution to lead and guide. Therefore as they did tion and the history of the Bible Presbyte is that we do not want to leave or to cause that, the people responded; the responsi rian movement. ourselves to become independent. It was bility now is upon all our shoulders, and we further pointed out that this is in no wise look 'to the Lord to continue this work for In 1955, the Independent Board for a schismatic act; rather it is an act which His Glory." Presbyterian Home Missions was formed, demonstraotes the presence of schism already independent, free from direction, "review, in the midst of the Synod. It was pointed and control" of the General Synod of the out that this resolution is the only logical THIS IS A SPECIAL rSSU E OF The Free Bible Presbyterian Church, and incorpora ted under the laws of the State of New Jer action that we as people responsible for our Press, PUBLISHED AT THIS TIME BE sey. This Board has been call:!d schismatic, convictions before God could take if we CAUSE OF THE ' RESOLUTION ADOPTED believe that the over-all situation is tainted un-Presbyterian, Congregational, a spite BY THE FIRST BIBLE PRESBYTERIAN by the desire of a few to maintain bigness board, and many other things. 1 he same and impol"tance, especially in the American CHURCH OF ST. LoUIS. THE RE". things said about the Independent Board for Council and International Council realms, CARL McINTIRE, D.D., HAS PRE Presbyterian Foreign Missions in 1933-34 even at the expense of purity of fact in the PARED THE ARTICLES. are now being said about the Independent presentation of the picture. Full discussion Board for Presbyterian Home Missions in was held of the impact of this motion upon I r'liltinued on page 4)
LEADERS IN THE MOVEMENT WHO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO RESIGN OR LEAVE CHURCH
J. G. Holdcroft J. E. Bennet A. A. MacRae A. G. Slaght C. Mcintire J. W. Murray Page 2 THE FHEE PRESS March 6, 1956 St. Louis Ultimatum A Petition by 110 Elders Letter to Moderator '\n amazing development in the conflict And Ministers Dr. J. Oliver Buswell, Jr. 408 Lippincott Avenue within the Bible Presbyterian Church has A PETITION TO DR. J. OLIVER taken place in the action of the congrega Riverton, N. J. BUSWELL, MODERATOR OF tion of the First Bible ,Presbyterian Church JR., THE 18th GENERAL SYNOD OF THE Dear Dr. Buswell: of St. Louis calling for the dissolution of BIBLE PRESBYTERIAN OHURCH the Independent Board for Presbyterian I am enclosing a petition which has been Home Missions or that its members leave We, the undersigned ministers and rul signed by elders and ministers in the Bible the church; and also calling upon the groups ing elders of the Bible Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church. There are, we believe, directing the Independent Board for Pres respectfully request that you call the 19th 110 signatures. There may be a few byterian Foreign Missions, Faith Theologi General Synod at the usual time, early in others yet to come. This same petition was cal Seminary, and Shelton College to re June, 1956, at Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, adopted by the Presbytery of New Jersey linquish their control. for the following reasons: and I understand that California, Phila This development is the natural se 1. The discretionary power given to you delphia, and Kentucky-Tennessee Presbyte quence and outgrowth of the thinking of to set the date and place of the 19th Gen teries took actions asking that the Synod those who have been seeking to change the eral Synod did not stipulate or envision a be held around the usual time or on the East position and testimony of these agencies, change in the usual season of the year, and Coast, or words to that effect. and to establish a church in which there we question whether a Synod called· by you The resolution of the Presbytery of would be Synod-controlled agencies. for either February or April can be a proper Kentucky-Tennessee, attested to by the First, there was circulated the document, Synod. Stated Clerk, is typed on the bottom of one "Ideological Division Within Our Church," 2. Harvey Cedars will be private, with of the petitions. It requested that the date prepared by Robert G. Rayburn, Claude out cost for rooms, with plenty of confer be set not earlier than June, 1956, and was Bunzel, and Walter Lyons, calling the Bible ence space, and the only expense will be passed by the J:lresbytery without a dissent P~esbyterian Church a "hybrid" organiza meals, which can be offered at cost. ing vote, nine ministers and two elders pres tion combilting true Presbyterianism and 3. It has been customary ·to hold two out ent and voting. The moderator did not Congregationalism, and attacking as "Con-. of three of our Synods on the eastern sea vote. gregationai" independent agencies which board where our two largest presbyteries God has used to establish the movement. I was the one at the 18th General Synod are and where the majority of our mem Along with this was the resolution who made the motion that you .be given the bership lives. passed by the Session of the Greenville Bible liberty of setting the time and the date of Presbyterian Church, under the leadership 4. It is most essential that the eIders of the 19th General Synod_ There was no of Dr. Flournoy Shepperson, claiming that the churches, if we are to be a Presbyterian thought at that time of any other time the Form of Government of the Bible Pres body, be able to attend, and it is more con than the usual season. We were pressed and byterian Church requires the churches and venient because of vacations, as has been the there was some question as to whether Dr. members of the church to stand by, the ac case in the past, for them to come in the Gebb could get some school or academy: and tiolls of the Synod and stating, '''If they are summer. he did not know just when in June its ses to remain true Bible Presbyterians, they 5. We call attention to the fact that in sions would end. your fixing of the two present dates we have can do no other than support and abide by We have now received the report of the the actions of the 18th General Synod." not heard of any brethren of the Synod who were consulted by you who represent St. Louis resolution calling upon the mem This un-Protestant and un-Presbyterian bers of the Indepen Requests for copies of The Free Press and all communications may be addr~ssed to the secretary-treasurer of the Committee, the Rev. Arthur G. Slaght, 1630 S. Hanover St., Baltimore 30, Md.